Class Action Fairness Act of 2005

There’s a terrific article on the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 by Anthony J. Sebok (a Professor at Brooklyn Law School) at FindLaw.com.

It was published back in February, so, yes, it’s a little dated. But it’s an insightful review just the same…

On Friday, February 18, President Bush signed the “Class Action Fairness Act of 2005″ (CAFA). The law is the first victory in the President’s campaign for reforming the civil justice system in the United States.

In this column, I will discuss both the substance and the symbolism of CAFA. The law itself is not so bad, I will argue. CAFA effects a few modest and reasonable changes into the law. They are probably not necessary, and they may have little effect, but nor are they harmful.

The problem with CAFA is that it may - but should not - become a wedge for a wider Republican tort reform effort. Wider “reform” will be harmful; Americans should reject it even if they support CAFA.

For the rest of the article, check out the link above. (Or, just go to the FindLaw homepage.)